46 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts

NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Simon Property Group ( SPG), Goldcorp ( GG) and Coca-Cola Enterprises ( CCE) joined a roster of companies raising their shareholder payouts in recent weeks.

Dividend activity has picked up lately as companies begin to regain some sense of stability in the state of the economy, and visibility of future earnings growth. The iShares Dow Jones Select Dividend ( DVY), an exchange-traded fund that tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index, is up nearly 3% over the past month, and up 10% so far in 2010.

Cognex ( CGNX), maker of machine vision products, raised its dividend by 2 cents per share to 8 cents. It will be paid on Dec. 17 to shareholders of record on Dec. 3, bringing Cognex's yield to 1.2% on annualized basis.

Insurer Mercury General ( MCY) boosted its quarterly payout by 1.7% to 60 cents per share. It will be paid on Dec. 30 to holders of record on Dec. 16. Mercury's new yield is 5.5%.

H&Q Healthcare Investors ( HQH), a diversified closed-end management investment company, said Monday it will increase the rate of its managed distribution policy to 2% of net assets on a quarterly basis, up from 1.25%. The new payment will be available Dec. 30 to shareholders of record on Nov. 22.

Douglas Dynamics ( PLOW), maker of snow plows and other snow- and ice-related equipment, announced a 10% increase to its planned fourth-quarter dividend. The 1.75-cent per share increase brings the payout to 20 cents, available to shareholders sometime in December.

Shopping mall owner and real estate investment trust Simon Property Group said Monday it raised its quarterly dividend by 33% to 80 cents per share. The new payout will be available Nov. 30 to shareholders of record on Nov. 16.

On Friday, oil and gas developer BreitBurn Energy Partners ( BBEP) announced a 2% increase to its dividend, bringing the quarterly payout to 39 cents per share. The higher dividend will be paid Nov. 12 to shareholders of record on Nov. 9. That brings Breitburn's yield to 8%.

Danvers Bancorp ( DNBK), a regional bank, will double its dividend, paying shareholders 4 cents per share. The new payout will be available Dec. 3 to shareholders of record on Nov. 12 for a current yield of 1.1%.

Communications provider Hickory Tech ( HTCO) upped its quarterly payout by 3.7% to 13.5 cents per share. The increased dividend will be paid on Dec. 5 to shareholders of record on Nov. 15. Hickory's current yield id 5.9%.

NV Energy ( NVE), an electric utility holding company, upped its shareholder payout by 9.1%. It will pay 12 cents per share on Dec. 22 to all shareholders of record as of Dec. 7. The new payout brings NV's dividend yield to 3.5%.

Consumer packaging manufacturer Rock-Tenn ( RKT) raised the dividend on its Class A common stock by more than 33% to 20 cents per share, from 15 cents. The higher payout will be available Nov. 22 to holders of record on Nov. 9. That brings its yield to 1.4%.

Crude oil developer Sunoco Logistics Partners ( SXL) increased its shareholder payout by 2.6% to $1.17 per limited partnership unit. The higher dividend will be paid Nov. 12 to holders of record on Nov. 8. Sunoco's current yield is 5.9%

Techne ( TECH) upped its dividend by a penny per share to 27 cents. The new payout will be available Nov. 22 to the biotech firm's holders of record on Nov. 8 for a yield of 1.8%.

Bancorp Rhode Island ( BARI) raised its dividend by 2 cents, or 11.8%, to 19 cents per share. The saving and loan bank will pay the new dividend on Dec. 8 to shareholders of record on Nov. 17. Bancorp Rhode Island's yield is now 2.6%.

Biomedical testing instrument maker Beckman Coulter ( BEC) increased its quarterly payout by a penny per share to 19 cents. The new dividend will be paid Nov. 19 to shareholders of record on Nov. 5, bringing its current yield to 1.4%.

Evercore Partners ( EVR) gave its dividend a 20% boost. The investment banking advisory firm will pay 18 cents per share on Dec. 10 to common stockholders of record on Nov. 26. Evercore's current yield is now 2.4%.

Carpet maker Interface ( IFSIA) said it raised its quarterly payout to 2 cents a share. It will be paid Nov. 26 to shareholders of record on Nov. 12 for a current yield of 0.6%.

Middlesex Water ( MSEX) will pay its shareholders a 1.4% larger dividend, or 18.25 cents per share. The new payout will be available Dec. 1 to holders of record on Nov. 15 for a yield of 4.1%.

Oritani Financial ( ORIT) raised its dividend by 2.5 cents, or 33.3%, to 10 cents per share. The savings and loan bank's new quarterly payout will be available Nov. 23 to holders of record on Nov. 10 for a yield of 3.7%.

Parker-Hannifin ( PH), a manufacturer of motion control technologies, upped its quarterly payout by 7% to 29 cents per share. It will pay the new dividend on Dec. 3 to holders of record on Nov. 10 for a current yield of 1.5%.

Food processor Sara Lee ( SLE) upped its payout by 4.5% to 11.5 cents per share. The increase boosts Sara Lee's yield to 3.2%. The higher dividend will be paid Dec. 31 to shareholders of record Dec. 1.

Circuit board manufacturer DDi ( DDIC) will pay its shareholders a 66% higher dividend. The new payout of 10 cents per share will be available Nov. 30 to shareholders of record as of Nov.15, bringing the small cap's yield to 3.9%.

Strayer Education ( STRA), a for-profit post-secondary education provider, raised its dividend by 33% to $1 per share. The higher payout will be available Dec. 10 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 26. Strayer's new annual yield is 2.9%.

Tal International ( TAL), a renter of intermodal containers and chassis, increased its shareholder payout by 14.3% to 40 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid Dec. 23 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec. 2, bringing its yield up to 5.8%.

Regional Bank Washington Banking ( WBCO) upped its shareholder payout by 67% to 5 cents per share. The increased dividend will be available Nov. 24 to common shareholders of record on Nov. 8 for a new yield of 1.6%.

Coal producer Alliance Holdings ( AHGP) boosted its dividend by 3.6% to 50 cents per share. The new payout will be available Nov. 19 to shareholders of record on Nov. 12. Alliance Holdings' new yield is 4.8%.

Alliance Resource Partners ( ARLP), for which Alliance Holdings is the managing general partner, raised its dividend by 2 cents per share to 83 cents. It will be paid Nov. 12 to holders of record on Nov. 5. The new yield is 5.6%.

Environmental consulting firm Ecology and Environment ( EEI) upped its six-month payout by a penny per share to 22 cents. The new dividend will be paid Dec. 24 to holders of record on Dec. 1 for a new yield of 3.3%.

Goldcorp ( GG) told shareholders they should expect a 100% jump in their dividend checks, to 36 cents per share on an annualized basis. The gold miner is a monthly dividend payer. Investors of record on Nov. 12 will be paid 3 cents per share on an unspecified date. Payment will be in Canadian dollars, less Canadian tax. The increased dividend brings Goldcorp's current yield to 0.8%.

Asset management firm Legg Mason ( LM) upped its quarterly payout by 50% to 6 cents per share. The higher dividend will be available Jan. 10, 2011 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec. 15. That will bring Legg Mason's yield to 0.8%.

Perrigo ( PRGO) raised its dividend by 12% to 7 cents per share. The generic prescription pharmaceutical maker will pay the new dividend on Dec. 14 to shareholders of record on Nov. 26, bringing Perrigo's yield to 0.4%.

Oil and gas explorer RPC ( RES) upped its payout by a penny per share to 7 cents per share. The new dividend will be available on Dec. 10 to shareholders of record on Nov. 10. The payout will bring RPC's yield to 1.2%.

Standex International ( SXI) will pay shareholders a penny more. The food service equipment maker raised its quarterly dividend to 6 cents per share, payable Nov. 24 to shareholders of record on Nov. 8. Standex's new yield is 0.9%

Multi-bank holding company UMB Financial ( UMBF) raised its dividend by a penny per share to 19.5 cents per share. The increased payout will be available Dec. 30 to shareholders of record on Dec. 10, bringing UMB's yield to 2.2%

Waddell & Reed Financial ( WDR) raised its divided by 5.3% to 20 cents per share. The investment services firm will make the higher payment on Feb. 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on Jan. 3. Waddell & Reed's higher payout will bring its yield to 2.7%.

Washington Real Estate Investment Trust ( WRE) announced a half cent-per share increase to its dividend, bringing the quarterly payout to 43.375 cents per share. It will be paid next on Dec. 30 to shareholders of record on Dec. 15. The REIT's yield is now 5.4%.

American Electric Power ( AEP) announced a 9.5% boost to its dividend. It will pay 46 cents per share on Dec. 10 to shareholders of record on Nov. 10. The electric utility's yield is 4.9%.

Bank of Marin ( BMRC) raised its quarterly payout by a penny to 16 cents per share. The savings and loan bank will make the dividend available on Nov. 12 to holders of record on Nov. 3. Bank of Marin's yield is 1.9%.

Uniform supplier Cintas ( CTAS) will pay a penny more per share, paying 49 cents per share on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record on Nov. 12. The 2.1% increase brings Cintas' yield to 1.8%.

Holley Energy ( HEP) increased its dividend by a penny to 83.5 cents per share. The petroleum pipeline operator will make the new payout on Nov. 12 to holders of record on Nov. 5, bringing its yield to 6.5%.

Molex ( MOLX) increased its quarterly cash dividend by 14.8% to 17.5 cents per share. The increased payout will be available on Jan. 25, 2011 to shareholders of record on Dec. 31, 2010. The electronic component manufacturer's higher dividend will be paid to holders of all common stock, Class A ( MOLXA) common stock and Class B common stock. Molex's yield is 3.5%. Its Class A shares carry a dividend yield of 4.1%.

Natural gas pipeline operator Williams Partner ( WPZ) raised its quarterly payout by a penny and a half to 68.75 cents per share. Williams will pay the higher dividend on Nov. 12 to holders of record on Nov. 5, bringing its yield to 6.2%.

Consumer energy company CMS Energy ( CMS) gave a 40% boost to its quarterly dividend. It will pay shareholders 21 cents per share on Nov. 30 to holders of record on Nov. 5. CMS' new yield is 4.6%.

Coke bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises ( CCE) raised its quarterly payout by 33.3%, to 12 cents per share. The new dividend will be available Dec. 9 to shareholders of record on Nov. 26, bringing its yield to 2%.

Columbia Sportswear ( COLM) announced a 2 cent-per share, or 11.1%, increase to its quarterly dividend. The apparel maker will pay 20 cents per share on Nov. 24 to holders of record on Nov. 10. Columbia Sportswear's yield is 1.5%.

International reinsurer PartnerRe ( PRE) added 5 cents per share to its quarterly payout. It will pay 55 cents per share on Dec. 1 to holders of record on Nov. 19. PartnerRe's yield is 2.8%.